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on the turn and ran away as fast as we could. “Immediately took the airplane to a 180° turn. When the bomb left the airplane, the plane jumped because you released 10,000 lbs.,” Theodore Van Kirk, the plane’s navigator, later recalled. “It was just like any other mission: some people are reading books, some are taking naps. The B-29 he flew over Hiroshima, Enola Gay, is on permanent display at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC.The Enola Gay is a B-29 Superfortress, which pilot Paul Tibbets named after his mother, and which had been stripped of everything but the necessities, so as to be thousands of pounds lighter than an ordinary plane of that make. He consistently defended the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, on the grounds that they saved more lives than they ended by eliminating the need for an invasion of Japan. A colonel at the time of the atomic bombing, Tibbets retired as a brigadier general in 1966 and is survived by his second wife and three sons. OBITUARY Paul Tibbets, who piloted the US Army Air Force B-29 Superfortress, that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, died aged 92 at his home in Columbus, Ohio. Cargo revenues over the first six months dropped nearly 9% to £290 million, Passenger revenues fell slightly to £3.9 billion during the period. This enabled it to boost operating profits 26% to £556 million for the first half. While revenues were fractionally down for the six months ending 30 September at £4.46 billion, costs were cut nearly 4% at £3.9 billion. RESULTS British Airways increased pre-tax profits 26% in the first half in reaching £593 million ($1.22 billion). The single-engine biplane is capable of transporting up to 14 passengers, and with a range of almost 850km (460nm) could be used to deploy troops in the event of renewed conflict between the Korean nations, which are still technically at war. "An-2s have been grounded for a long while now, as limited fuel supplies are being diverted to other training purposes," a military source told Yonhap. OPERATIONS North Korea has grounded its fleet of almost 300 Antonov An-2 transports and curtailed some air force training activities due to high oil prices, according to a report by South Korea's Yonhap news agency. Tejas prototypes have now completed more than 760 flights.įUEL CRISIS GROUNDS NORTH KOREAN TRANSPORTS "Four LCAs are now flying, and we hope to receive the first squadron by 2010," says Indian air force chief Air Marshal Fali Homi Major.
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WEAPONISATION The Aeronautical Development Agency's Tejas light combat aircraft programme passed a major weaponisation milestone on 25 October, when the first prototype of the Indian aircraft fired a Russian-made Vympel R-73 air-to-air missile, validating safe separation. Martinair has been co-operating on the project with Pratt & Whitney and Stella Aviation Technics, which claims to be the first independent maintenance company to offer an ecological package of services aimed at reducing environmental damage. SAVINGS Dutch carrier Martinair estimates that it has saved up to $2.2 million in fuel costs over the past year after conducting a year-long test of on-stand engine washing for its aircraft fleet. The final report, with FAA comments, is expected to be released on 20 November. REVIEW The US Federal Aviation Administration is reviewing a draft copy of a year-long audit by the Government Accountability Office delving into runway incursions, ramp accidents and runway overruns in the USA. The £36 million ($72 million) sale, which was agreed last month, includes UK maintenance, repair and overhaul-provider AEM and French firm Antavia.įAA MULLS OVER GOVERNMENT INCURSION REPORT Zuanazzi will be replaced by Solange Paiva Vieira, the Brazilian secretariate for civil aviation.ĪCQUISITION UK-based components and logistics firm Umeco has completed the sale of its repair and overhaul division to US electronics specialist Ametek. Brazil has faced two major fatal airline accidents and the breakdown of its air traffic control system in just over a year. RESIGNATION President of Brazilian civil aviation authority ANAC's board Milton Zuanazzi is to resign amid the ongoing political struggle over reorganisation of the country's civil aviation sector.